The Last One

nine

I woke up softly and slowly from a dreamless sleep. The sun was rising already. I felt pain behind my eyes, and my stomach felt like it could roll up my throat and out of my mouth at any moment. I groaned as I rolled over. My mouth was sticky with dehydration.

A hangover. Excellent timing.

I rose slowly, careful of my head. I sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments, holding my head in my hands as it throbbed with the rhythm of my heartbeat.

I pulled myself to my feet and started slipping on my boots. I secured my weapons to my person. Then, I started putting on my leathers again. We would be leaving soon after all, and I needed to be.. less hungover.

I slid my hands into my hair, which was a mess of tangles and half braids. I pulled it all free and started over as I walked out of the room and down the hall, then outside. I finished the braid with a leather strap tied in a knot.

The morning was warm and damp, and I walked towards the tavern again. Once inside, the barmaid offered me oats, which I accepted, and brought a cup of tea without me asking. Apparently, it was obvious how hung over I was. I started eating the oats first. The food was bland, and that was a relief since my stomach rolled at every bite.

"Morning," I almost jumped out of my skin as I heard a voice beside me. I turned my head to see Sihtric sitting next to me. He smiled at me as the barmaid slid a bowl of oats to him, and it all came flashing back.

I was taking a sip of my tea when I remembered the kiss the night before, and I choked on the liquid as I tried to swallow. Sihtric looked concerned and patted me on the back hard to help dislodge the offender. I coughed, and my face turned beet red from sheer embarrassment. I took another sip, soothing my throat and stopping my cough. Did he remember what happened? I looked to his face for any semblance of memory, but he revealed nothing.

Maybe he was too drunk, I reasoned with myself, but when I glanced at him again, I remembered the feeling his hands on my skin. I diverted my gaze, while heat burned its way across my face and announced to the world my shame.

"Are you okay?" Finan asked. His voice made me jump yet again.

"Gods," I sighed in shock. My hand came up to my chest in surprise

"Yes," Sihtric turned slightly towards me, "are you okay?" His eyes held a glimmer of playfulness to then as they washed over me. Oh, he remembered the kiss. He was enjoying this.

"I am. Simply hungover."

"Aye," Finan sat in a bar stool next to me, "me too. I wonder who's idea it was to stay up late drinking?"

I snorted before taking another sip of my tea. Uhtred approached as well, but he didn't manage to sneak up on me as the first two had.

"You three look like horse shit." He shook his head as he took a bowl of oats from the barmaid. "So you stayed up drinking then?"

"Aye, Lord, lots of drinking." Finan groaned.

Uhtred laughed and shook his head again as if he expected nothing less from us. "Of course."

We left towards Rumcofa after breakfast. The rocking of my horse underneath me made my stomach roll and lurch as we rode, and I found myself wishing I would vomit so that it might settle.

The day was warm, and my shoulder ached from the stab wound, only a few days old. It felt like forever ago. The memory of the battle was hazy through my fog of discomfort, and my mind was more inclined to think of last night rather than the battle.

My skin tingled as I thought of his hands sliding up my sides. Heat spread across my belly, making me want to shift in the seat of my saddle. My fingers touched my lips softly as I remembered his lips pressed there, heady and hot as we had moved against one another. It was my first kiss, and it had burned through my being like a wildfire. I bit my cheek to stop the thoughts from invading my mind.